Review by sml19 -- East Wind, 2nd edition by Jack Winnick
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- Latest Review: East Wind, 2nd edition by Jack Winnick
Review by sml19 -- East Wind, 2nd edition by Jack Winnick
[Following is a volunteer review of "East Wind, 2nd edition" by Jack Winnick.]
East Wind by Jack Winnick is a spy thriller set in the post-9/11 United States. The story follows Uri, an Israeli Mossad agent dealing with the aftermath of both a tragic mission and a failing marriage, and Lara, a young intelligent FBI computer expert looking to prove herself in the male-dominated world of the FBI. These two seemingly mismatched individuals are teamed up to follow a hidden trail of cyber clues to hopefully avoid nuclear catastrophe for the US from the terrorist organization of Hezbollah. In addition to points of view from both Uri and Lara’s perspectives, points of views from other agents, politicians, diplomats, and even the terrorists further fleshes out the motivations and behind the scenes action of the story.
I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. The book was for the most part well-written, although there were some minor grammatical and formatting errors throughout. However, it was a very difficult story to get into initially, which was a bit surprising given the prologue literally begins with a nuclear explosion on American soil. However, after the initial excitement in the prologue, the story got bogged down with different timelines. For example, in one chapter, it was 2013, and then in the next chapter, it was 1996, and so on. While I did enjoy the multiple points of view that were presented in the story, they combined with the multiple timelines in the beginning of the book made it very difficult to follow and were actually what I disliked most about this book. Additionally, while it was very obvious that the author was extremely knowledgeable about the nuclear engineering background included in the story, at many points, this overabundance of technical details got extremely tedious. It was a struggle to get through some of these technical sections. Fortunately, at about halfway through the book, the story does pick up and became much more enjoyable.
On a more positive note, one of the elements that I liked the most was the portrayal of Lara as a very strong and intelligent female main character. I enjoyed how during Lara’s points of view, she discussed the struggle to be accepted and respected in the traditional boys’ club atmosphere at the FBI. I particularly liked how the author did not shortchange Lara by turning her into a fluffy, simpering woman who is content to let the male character, Uri, take charge. I believe that female readers who may not traditionally enjoy the spy genre will appreciate the character of Lara.
Additionally, I really enjoyed how the author developed the relationship between Uri and Lara. It developed organically at a pace that seemed natural and suited to the two characters. I appreciated that Uri and Lara did not immediately enter into a romantic relationship, particularly given the precarious nature of Uri’s marriage. Instead, their relationship began as a cordial, respectful working relationship that initially blossomed into a genuine friendship and ultimately into a romantic relationship towards the very end of the book. Their relationship also did not end with a happily ever after, which would not have seemed appropriate for these characters at this point in their character arc.
Overall, I would recommend East Wind for readers who are fans of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series or Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series. This book is appropriate for readers who want a spy thriller that delves deeply into the background and motivations of all of the involved parties. While the story was initially slow, it does eventually speed up and becomes a more traditional fast-paced spy thriller. Although it did not end up being my favorite foray into the espionage genre, I am curious to see how the relationship between Uri and Lara develops in future stories, so I would most likely read any sequels.
******
East Wind, 2nd edition
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
East Wind by Jack Winnick is a spy thriller set in the post-9/11 United States. The story follows Uri, an Israeli Mossad agent dealing with the aftermath of both a tragic mission and a failing marriage, and Lara, a young intelligent FBI computer expert looking to prove herself in the male-dominated world of the FBI. These two seemingly mismatched individuals are teamed up to follow a hidden trail of cyber clues to hopefully avoid nuclear catastrophe for the US from the terrorist organization of Hezbollah. In addition to points of view from both Uri and Lara’s perspectives, points of views from other agents, politicians, diplomats, and even the terrorists further fleshes out the motivations and behind the scenes action of the story.
I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. The book was for the most part well-written, although there were some minor grammatical and formatting errors throughout. However, it was a very difficult story to get into initially, which was a bit surprising given the prologue literally begins with a nuclear explosion on American soil. However, after the initial excitement in the prologue, the story got bogged down with different timelines. For example, in one chapter, it was 2013, and then in the next chapter, it was 1996, and so on. While I did enjoy the multiple points of view that were presented in the story, they combined with the multiple timelines in the beginning of the book made it very difficult to follow and were actually what I disliked most about this book. Additionally, while it was very obvious that the author was extremely knowledgeable about the nuclear engineering background included in the story, at many points, this overabundance of technical details got extremely tedious. It was a struggle to get through some of these technical sections. Fortunately, at about halfway through the book, the story does pick up and became much more enjoyable.
On a more positive note, one of the elements that I liked the most was the portrayal of Lara as a very strong and intelligent female main character. I enjoyed how during Lara’s points of view, she discussed the struggle to be accepted and respected in the traditional boys’ club atmosphere at the FBI. I particularly liked how the author did not shortchange Lara by turning her into a fluffy, simpering woman who is content to let the male character, Uri, take charge. I believe that female readers who may not traditionally enjoy the spy genre will appreciate the character of Lara.
Additionally, I really enjoyed how the author developed the relationship between Uri and Lara. It developed organically at a pace that seemed natural and suited to the two characters. I appreciated that Uri and Lara did not immediately enter into a romantic relationship, particularly given the precarious nature of Uri’s marriage. Instead, their relationship began as a cordial, respectful working relationship that initially blossomed into a genuine friendship and ultimately into a romantic relationship towards the very end of the book. Their relationship also did not end with a happily ever after, which would not have seemed appropriate for these characters at this point in their character arc.
Overall, I would recommend East Wind for readers who are fans of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series or Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series. This book is appropriate for readers who want a spy thriller that delves deeply into the background and motivations of all of the involved parties. While the story was initially slow, it does eventually speed up and becomes a more traditional fast-paced spy thriller. Although it did not end up being my favorite foray into the espionage genre, I am curious to see how the relationship between Uri and Lara develops in future stories, so I would most likely read any sequels.
******
East Wind, 2nd edition
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: East Wind, 2nd edition by Jack Winnick
